February 25, 2001: Nick Cassway has just taken down what was left of Dissentia's "Steal this Show" exhibition. Intended to be a media event where the public was asked to literally steal the work off the walls, it was perhaps a little too successful. The point, however, about art vs commodity was well made and seemed timely in lieu of developments concerning intellectual property online (Napster) and the political climate generally, not too mention the recent riot on South Street.

It was certainly a great success in publicity terms. An NPR radio piece aired about the show which played up it's wackiness. There was also a story in the Associated Press that was published in thousands of papers all over the world. The exhibition finally ended up as a question on the NPR quiz show, "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!" on Saturday afternoon March 3. That is good going for a local show, especially one where very few got to see the actual work. Cassway believes, "Every show should be an event" and the "opening" is the opportunity to talk and connect with the viewer. In this case, the work was gone before 6:30 pm. Unfortunately, the video documenting the happening was stolen as well, making it's future appearance on the Dissentia website impossible. Also, an art piece from the adjacent side of Vox Populi Gallery was "mistakenly" taken. The cops were duly called in about that one and, not surprisingly, when the premise of the show had been explained to them, they asked if they were on candid camera.

Steal this Show had the undeniable attraction of a fluxus sort of happening and can be seen in several ways; as a response to the supply side of the art market; art being produced for the world of international museums with plenty of funding and upscale galleries etc... Hermetically sealed, it is exclusive. On the other side is a large group of artists who are dedicated and well educated but without the opportunities or intention to take part. On top of this, the media colludes in an ongoing public/media misunderstanding of art and perpetuates it and this pervades the First Friday ethic. These nuances were lost on the crowd who looted the show so enthusiastically. Clearly the activity was the "art" here, but the"stolen" labels left behind where the work had hung left a strange imprint.

Overtly political art tends to attack slick art in a slick system that delivers it to the priveledged. However, this upmarket art world does set the standards and that validation is needed here. Perhaps Cassway's underlying point is that it should be spread around a little. On a larger scale, I can't help but see a wider political connection at this time where a deeply uninformed populace divides itself over issues that hide larger unknown agendas. All this talk of the Law and Constitutional issues is lost on a public whose interest is only topical. The same applies to art. Biting the hand that funds can be counter productive.

Philadelphia needs a selection of new alternative spaces that aspire to becoming upmarket without losing the art/street sense and sensibility. Only by combining these elements can you show what is best. Philadelphia is so close to losing the cheesesteak image. Let's face it, art is difficult and unpopular. It takes effort to appreciate and it may take some redefining of old definitions of High vs Low culture to shake the city up. This isn't necessarily exclusion. Think of it as discerning one thing from another. Dissentia have participated helped bring these two extremes closer together.

Nick Cassway and his partner Chris Wilson have pushed Dissentia forward and their dedication to adding a level of non-equalibrium to the local scene is admirable. This show was a long way from the episode where they sold cheap art off the back of a u-haul; a statement gets made, but market-wise you shoot yourself in the foot. Again, it is the activity that counts. Cassway is correct; the problem is that artists (and curators) in many cases need to side step the usual routes and create other paths and new audiences. Dissentia's unconventional shows have said a lot about this situation. It will be interesting to see what scheme they come up with next. What would they do if they were awarded a big curatorial budget? Time will tell.

© James Rosenthal
March 2001